Car-coupling



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BATTIE K. RICHARDSON, OF NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 509,248, dated November 21, 1893.

' Application filed August 1893- Serial No= 483,180. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: Y

Be it known that I, BATTIE K. RICHARDSON, of Nashville, in the county of Davidson and State of Tennessee, have invented a new and useful Improved Oar'Coupling, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. My invention relates to improvements in car couplings of the side latching type, and

has for its obj ect-to produce a novel, simple device of the character indicated, which will be adapted for an automatic coupled engagement with a similar coupling, be detachable by manipulation from the sides or top of a car, and afford means for a convenient connection with an ordinary car coupling of the link and pin style.

To these ends, my invention consists in the peculiar construction, and combination of parts, as hereinafter described, and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1, is a partly sectional plan view of the forward portion of the improvement, showing parts in position for coupling by full lines, and adjusted to uncouple by dotted lines, the section being taken on the line 11 in Fig. 2. Fig. 2, is a partly sectional side view of the front portion of the coupling, taken on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3, is a front end view of the improvement, showing parts adjusted to automatically couple with a similar car coupling. Fig. 4, is a detached reverse plan view-of the latch block, which is a feature of the invention; and Fig. 5, represents the front end portion of a car body in part, and the complete improvement in position for service,

' on said body.

The drawhead A, is preferably cast into form, being rectangular in cross section, and chambered from the front end rearwardly so as to produce asubstantially rectangular cavity a, of a proper depth and transverse area to receive another part and permit its efiective action. The drawhead is suflicientlyelongated to permit its rear portion to be suitably supported below the car frame 0, the usual means for spring cushioning the part A, being employed, for the absorption of percussive shocks, and as this is not a feature of the,

invention, it is omitted from the drawings.

In the chamber a, on its bottom wall, and extending from the front edge rearwardly, a projection 12, is integrally formed. Said projection being inclined forwardly, is preferably curved to render its upper surface slightly convex, as indicated in Fig. 2. The incline b, terminates at a correct distance from the front edge of the drawhead, ina vertical wall I), thus producing an abutment at its inner terminal, the part b, for convenience downwardly, and toward a median line of the drawhead, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the lower end of the incline merging into the bottom wall of the drawhead before said longitudinal center line is intersected by it, thus disposing the incline c, in a diagonal plane with regard to the drawhead side wall that it is projected from.

The latch block 13, is anovel and essential feature of the invention, consisting of a metal piece shaped substantially as shown. The block B, is laterally bent from a point at near its longitudinal center; forwardly of its said point the bent portion is gradually converged edgewise to a point e, where the hook shoulder f, is formed by widening the block on the concave side or edge of the converged portion, the widened part being defined on its rear side by the straight vertical shoulder named. From the outer terminal .of the hook shoulder f, the front edge of the latch block B, is curved outward and around to join the outer side of the converged partor neck of the hook; the outward arching of this upright front wall, affording a head h for the latch block of sufficient dimensions to adapt it for effective use, and provide the strength needed to withstand percussion and draft strain in service. The lower side of the latch block B,is transversely notched to allow the latch block to fit upon and interlock with the latch hook I) of the drawhead A. The notch in the latch block B, starts from a point 1', near the shoulderf, of the latch block, and slopes upward and rearwardly on its top wall to a point i, where it abruptly terminates in a vertical shoulder or wall that is adapted to interlock with the shoulder 17', when the latch block is in the position indicated by full lines in Fig. 1. When the shoulders b,t" are interlocked, the head h, of the latch block B, will be caused to project in advance of the drawhead front end, and the shoulderf, of the head be inclined toward the right side wall of the drawhead so as to adapt said shoulder to reliably engage with a similar shoulder on a mating car coupling when the two couplings are connected by their latch blocks. It will be seen that the free point of the head 71., on the latch block B, projects beyond a longitudinal center line of the drawhead toward the incline 0, when the latch-block is in position and loosely secured within the chamber a, to effect which engagements of parts, there is a longitudinally elongated pin hole 'm, formed in the body of the latch block, to receive the pivot bolt 02, that is inserted and secured in vertical and aligning perforations formed in the top and bottom walls of the drawhead at its transverse center and near their front edges.

The adjustment of the latch block B, as shown in Fig. 1, projects the rear end of the block toward the incline c on the drawhead, and the relative proportion of parts is such, that said end portion of the block will rest on the incline mentioned.

To facilitate the laterally vibratile movement of the latch block B, on its pivot bolt n, the portion 0, of the block that rests on the incline c, is reduced in breadth and sloped and slightly convex curved on the lower side, from the forward edge to the rear edge, as shown in the reversed plan View of the part B, given in Fig. 4; this removal of material adapting the end portion 0, to substantially conform on its lower surface with the pitch of the incline c, and slide easily on it.

Preferably the top and bottom edges of the drawhead front end are scalloped to incurve the same between the hook b, and right side wall of the drawhead, thereby affording clearance for the head h, on the right side of the drawhead.

The relative dimensions of the chamber a, between its top and bottom walls are such as will allow the latch block B, to freely vibrate, and rise on the inclined surfaces of the projections b, and 0, when the latch'block will assume the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1. p

The head h, is increased in thickness as compared with the other part of the latch block B, by elevating the top surface of the head and then upwardly sloping the top wall of the other part so as to'join the head wall, thus affording a strengthening fillet where the head joins the body of the latch block. The head h, is transversely slotted at the center of thickness, which slot p, is designed to receive the end of an ordinary coupling link, which is loosely secured in connection with the latch block 13, by a pin that should enter the vertical perforation r, that is formed in the head h, at a proper point, such a connection being made when a car having the improvement is to be coupled with a car provided with the ordinary link and pin style of coupling.

On the end wall of the car whereon the drawhead A, is loosely secured at the transverse center of its frame, a rock shaft D, is journaled inthe bracket boxes 8, that are bolted to the car, as indicated in Fig. 5, and prevented from longitudinal movement by the collars a, that are secured on the shaft and loosely engage the sides of a center box.

There are two crank projections t, formed on the rock shaft D, that are joined by a heavy transverse shaft member D, which 1s parallel with the main body of the rock shaft.

The length of the rock shaft D, is sufficient to permit it to project at the ends near the sides of the car body, and on said ends heavy crank handles D are formed or secured, that project at a right angle from the shaft in the same direction as the cranks t, so that the weight of the parts D,D will cause the handles to hang pendent, as shown in-Fig. 5.

On the top of thelatch block head h, astaple or ring 41, is formed or secured, for the loose engagement therewith of the hook end on the link rod to, the other end of which is hooked upon an eye formed on the band w, that loosely encircles the shaft member I), a draft rod y, being extended vertically from said band to the roof of the car body for manipulation by a train man from the car roof if this is necessary.

It will be seen that the weight of the latch block B, supplemented by the weight of the pendent parts D, D will cause the block to normally assume the position shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 5, which adapts the shoulders b t, to interlock, and the latch block to sustain draft strain applied to its shoulder f, by the pull of another car coupling of a like con struction which has its latch lock engaged therewith.

When two cars having the improvement are to be coupled, they are moved toward each other, so as to cause portions of the front curved faces of the heads h, that are opposite the shoulders f, to impinge; this will laterally vibrate each block B, a sufficient degree to permit their latching engagement as indicated by full and dotted lines in Fig. 1.

In order to detach cars coupled with the improved coupling, the rock shaft D, is given a partial rotation so as to draw the link w, rearwardly, and as said rod is diagonally extended between the latch block B, and rockshaft portion D, it is adapted to draw the block around into the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, thereby releasing the shoulder f, from the similar shoulder on an engaged latch bloek,the' elongated hole m,'in the block that the pivot bolt 12, passes through permitting the block to freely rock on said bolt, and slide, so that the pivot bolt will bear on one terminal of the slotted hole, which will prevent the rear end of the block from frictionally engaging with the side wall of the drawhead, that is preferably incurved to afford clearance for said end.

From the peculiar construction of parts, the resumption of a normal position by the latch block B, is entirely effected by gravity, and it will be evident that the weight of t-heblock and that of the parts D, D will prevent a disconnection of two car couplings of the improved style until the shaft D, isdesignedly rocked by the manipulator of either handle D or draft rod y.

Having thus fully described my invention, I

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A car coupling comprisinga chambered I drawhead, having two oppositely pitched inclines within, and a pivoted latch block adapted to ride on the inclines when partially rotated, and slide by gravity to interlock a notch on its under side with a shoulder on one incline, substantially as described.

2. A car coupling, comprising a forwardly chambered drawhead, two oppositely pitched inclines along side walls within said chamber, and a pivoted block having a side latching projected head, adapted to ride on the inclines behind said head when partly rotated, and reversely rotate by force of gravity to interlock a notch on its under side with a shoulder on oneincline, substantially as described.

3. In a car coupling, the combination with a chambered drawhead, and two oppositely pitched inclines within along sides of the drawhead,one incline terminating at its rear in a vertical shoulder, of a latch block having a laterally hooked head, an elongated perforation near the center,-and a notch on the lower side mating the shouldered incline, and a pivot-bolt vertically extending through the drawhead and passing loosely through the perforation of the block, substantially as described.

' 4. In a car coupling, the combination with a chambered drawhead, two oppositely pltched inclines within, and a pivoted latch block adapted to ride on the inclines when partly rotated and interlock the shoulder of a notch on its lower side when reversely rotated by gravity, of a device on the car connected to the latch block and adapted by manipulat1o n to partly rotate the latch block and release it from a mating latch block, substantially as described.

5. In a car coupling, the combination with achambereddrawhead,twooppositely pitched inclines within, and a pivoted latch block adapted to ride upon the inclines and rise when partly rotated, and interlock the shoulder of a notch on its lower side when reversely rotated by gravity, of a rock shaft rotatable on the car, a heavy crank connection thereon, a link between said crank connec-- tion and the latch block, and means to rock the shaft from the sides or root of the car, substantially as described.

BATTIE K. RICHARDSON.

Witnesses:

HENRY F. J AcKsoN, PETER L. GoNNoRs. 

